The present invention relates to a time recorder with a card feed rate adjustment function making it possible to correctly print one""s arrival or departure time in a print column by adjusting a card feed rate even when a card feed rate changes due to a processing error by or a seasonal change of a card carrier roller or when the print column changes due to shrinkage or extension of the time card as well as to a time card adapted to use in this time recorder.
The time recorder with a card feed rate adjustment function as described above is disclosed, for instance, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. HEI 8-101935.
The time recorder disclosed in this publication has the configuration in which a test mark is provided on a maintenance card exclusively used for maintenance, and a mark sensor counts a number of pulses generated from an encoder, while this card is being fed, from a point of time when a lower edge of the card is detected by the card sensor until a point of time when the test mark is detected and compares this number of counted pulses to a preset standard number of pulses to calculate a correction value, and a time card is fed according to the number of pulses corrected according to this correction value.
In the conventional type of time recorder as described above, as a correction value for adjusting a card feed rate is computed by using a maintenance card exclusively used for adjustment which is completely different from a time card used for printing one""s arrival or departure time, when a time card is actually inserted and the card is fed according to the correction value computed as described above, an error may occur in feeding the card, which in turn may disadvantageously make it difficult to correctly print the time data in a print column.
Namely, in the conventional technology, a maintenance card and a time card which is used daily are generally produced by different manufacturers through different production processes respectively, and even if the maintenance card and time card are produced based on the same specifications, there are usually some differences between the two types of cards, and especially a copy product may be produced and used as a time card, or those produced in different factories are sometimes used in the same time recorder, and in that case paper qualities of the cards may be different, and the cards extend or shrink from season to season, and therefore it is very difficult to uniformly control a feed rate of each of the time cards having different properties and characteristics respectively according to a correction value computed using the maintenance card, and as a result even though a feed rate for the cards is adjusted, sometimes the printed letters are sometimes partially or wholly off from the print column of each time card, which makes it disadvantageously difficult to beautifully print time and date within the print column.
Therefore a technological object of the present invention is to provide a time recorder with a card feed rate adjustment function capable of printing one""s arrival or departure time to and from a job site always at a correct position within a print column by adjusting a feed rate of each time card according to such parameters as a paper quality or a degree of extension or shrinkage or a printing state within the print column.
Another technological object of the present invention is to provide a time card well adapted to use in the time recorder with a card feed rate adjustment function described above.
The technological objects described above can be achieved by the features of the present invention described below.
(1) The present invention provides a time recorder with the operation mode capable of being switched between a print mode and a set mode and feeding a time card inserted therein up to a data time data stamping step position for stamping a current date with a card carrier motor and stamping the date when the operation mode is switched to the print mode is set and also adjusting a feed rate for the time card when operation mode is switched to the set mode, and this time recorder comprises a sensor for reading a start point and an end point for measurement of a feed rate provided on an inserted time card, an encoder for counting a feed rate of the time card fed from a point of time when the start point is read until a point of time when the end point is read, an adjustment value computing means for computing an adjustment value for adjusting the feed rate by comparing the counted feed rate to a preset basic feed rate, and an adjustment value registration means for registering the computed adjustment value as step pitch adjustment data, each of which is each enabled when the operation mode of the time recorder is switched to the set mode, and the time recorder further comprises a feed rate control means for adjusting a feed rate of the time card by the card carrier motor according to the registered step pitch adjustment data to carry the time card to the time data stamping step position for the current data when the operation mode is the time recorder is set to the print mode. (claim 1)
(2) The present invention provides a time recorder with a card feed rate adjustment function capable of feeding an inserted time card to a time data stamping step position with a card carrier motor for stamping a current date, and this time recorder comprises a sensor for reading a start position and an end position for measurement of a feed rate provided on the inserted time card, an encoder for counting a feed rate for a time card fed from a point of time when the start point is read until a point of time when the end point is read, an adjustment value computing means for computing an adjustment value for adjusting the feed rate by comparing the counted feed rate to a preset basic feed rate, a print position computing means for computing a time data stamping step position for stamping the current data according to the computed adjustment means, and a feed rate control means for controlling the card carrier mote to carry the time card to the computed time data stamping step position. (claim 2)
(3) In the time recorder with a card feed rate adjustment function according to the present invention, there is further provided an update and registration means for updating and registering a feed rate counted by the encoder as new step pitch adjustment data. (claim 3)
(4) In the time recorder with a card feed rate adjustment function according to the present invention, a start mark and an end mark printed with a space therebetween in a lower section and an upper section of a time card respectively are used as a start position and an end position for measurement of a feed rate.(claim 4)
(5) In the time recorder with a card feed rate adjustment function according to the present invention, a start mark and an end mark for ID code printed on a time card are used as a start point and an end point for measurement of a feed rate. (claim 5)
(6) In the time recorder with a card feed rate adjustment function according to the present invention, either one of a start mark or an end mark of an ID code printed on a time card is used as a start point for measurement of a feed rate for the time card and an end mark printed in an upper section of a time card at a position corresponding to the ID cord is used as an end point for measurement of a feed rate. (claim 6)
(7) In the time recorder with a card feed rate adjustment function according to the present invention, either one of a ruled line or a pattern printed along a lower edge of a time card or in a lower section thereof is used as a start position for measurement of a feed rate, and either one of a ruled position and a pattern printed along an upper edge of the time card or in an upper section thereof is used as an end point for measurement of the feed rate. (claim 7)
(8) The present invention provides a time card used in the time recorder with a card feed rate adjustment function, in which a start mark as a start position for measurement of a feed rate is printed in a lower section of the card and also an end mark as an end position for measurement of a feed rate is printed at a position corresponding to the start mark in an upper section of the card. (claim 8)
(9) The present invention provides a time card used in the time recorder with a card feed rate adjustment function, in which either one of a start mark and an end mark for an ID code printed on one side of a card is used as a start point for measurement of a feed rate and an end mark used as an end point for measurement of the feed rate is printed at a position corresponding to the ID code in an upper section of the card. (claim 9)
With the invention according to claim 1 described in (1) above, as a feed rate for a time card can be adjusted by using the same time card as that usually used, different from the case of printing one""s arrival or departure time on a time card after adjustment of a feed rate performed by using a specific maintenance card like in the conventional technology, as there occur no displacement between the adjusted feed rate and actual printing due to differences in paper qualities of used time cards or those in the production processes or due to extension or shrinkage of the time cards, the data for one""s arrival or departure time to and from the job site can clearly be printed within the print column.
With the invention according to claim 2 described in (2) above, a feed rate for a card is adjusted each time a time card is inserted into a time recorder, and then data for one""s arrival or departure time is printed, so that the card can be fed based on the considerations to extension or shrinkage of each card or other parameters which vary according to the humidity from day to day and the data for one""s arrival or departure time can always be printed at a correct position within the print column.
With the invention according to claim 3 described in (3) above, the step pitch adjustment data is updated each time printing is performed on a time card, so that it is possible to print data for one""s arrival or departure time accurately within a print column for the current day.
With the invention according claim 4 described in (4) above, as a start mark and an end mark for measurement of a card feed rate are printed on a time card which is used every day and the time card can be used as a card for adjustment of a card feed rate as it is, and as a result, it is possible to print data for one""s arrival or departure time at a correct position within the print column by accurately adjusting a feed rate for the card according to the computed feed rate.
With the inventions according to claims 5, 6, and 7 described in (5), (6) and (7) respectively, a time card with an ID code, a ruled line or the like printed thereon, which is used every day, can be used as a card for adjustment of a feed rate for the card, and as a result it is possible to carry the time card according to the computed feed rate and beautifully print data for one""s arrival or departure time within the print column.
With the inventions according to claims 8, 9 described in (8) and (9) above respectively, it is possible to provide a time card adapted to use in the time recorder with a card feed rate adjustment function according to claims 4 and 6 Described in (4) and (6) respectively.